Kolkata: The Trinamool Congress will be represented by its Lok Sabha MP and former cricketer Yusuf Pathan, along with senior leader Lalitesh Tripathi, at the Congress-led Voter Adhikar Yatra in Bihar on September 1.
Party insiders said that Trinamool chief Mamata Banerjee and the party’s Lok Sabha leader Abhishek Banerjee will be unable to attend due to prior commitments. A special session of the West Bengal Assembly is scheduled the same day, where the Chief Minister is expected to be present, while Abhishek Banerjee has another engagement.
“The party has decided that Yusuf Pathan and Lalitesh Tripathi will represent Trinamool Congress at the September 1 rally,” a senior party leader confirmed.
Today, Samajwadi Party president and former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav joined the yatra in Saran district of Bihar, accompanied by Rohini Acharya, daughter of RJD supremo Lalu Prasad. The Congress party also announced Yadav’s participation on social media.
The march has seen strong turnout from Mahagathbandhan supporters, with opposition leaders jointly addressing gatherings. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi launched the yatra on August 17 to protest alleged large-scale deletions from Bihar’s electoral rolls. The program will conclude in Patna on Monday.
Opposition leaders claim that nearly 65 lakh names were struck off during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise, calling it a direct attack on voting rights. Following Supreme Court orders, the Election Commission was instructed to publish the list of deleted names by August 19 and file a compliance report by August 22.
Sources said Trinamool’s decision to participate underscores the opposition INDIA bloc’s show of unity against the BJP-led government at the Centre.